Winding mechanism



22 1942. J BOLSEYI 2305 656 WINDING MECHANISM Filed June 27, 1941 2Sheets-$heet l INVENTOR 2 Jaegaes fialusey BY Dec. 22, 1942. J. BOLSEY2,305,666

WINDING MECHANISM Filed June 27, 1941 2 Sheets-Sheet 2YI/III/IIIIII/IIII/IIE 51270110011110!!! mil" Patented Dec. 22, 1942UNITED STATEfd OFFICE 4 Claims.

My invention relates to spring motor driven cameras, and moreparticularly to built-in or independent winding mechanisms for springmotors of such cameras.

A general object of my invention is the provision of built-in orindependent winding means enabling quick and easy winding-up of thespring.

Another object my invention consists of means by which the time neededfor winding-up the camera spring is shortened.

Still another object of my invention is to equalize the work duringwinding-up of the spring, 1. e., to avoid interruption in winding-up fthe spring by periods of useless turning of the winding member.

With the above objects in view, my present invention consists of abuilt-in or independent winding mechanism for a spring motor beingconstructed in such a manner as to be adapted to up the spring of saidspring motor by turning the rotatabl winding member of said windingmechanism in either direction.

By these means the time of winding is shortened, the winding-up itselfis made easy, and interruption in winding-up of the spring by periods ofuseless turning of the winding handle or knob is avoided.

The novel features which I consider as characteristic for my inventionare set forth in particular in the appended claims. The inventionitself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, together with additional objects and advantages thereof willbe best understood from the following description of specificembodiments, when read in connection with the accompanying drawings, inwhich:

Figs. 1 and 2 show various embodiments of the new winding mechanism,with two train gears and no coaxially arranged main gears;

Fig. 3 is a side view of another embodiment of the new windingmechanism, with a winding gear equipped with internal teeth and tworatchet wheels;

Fig. 4; is a cross section of the winding mechanism shown in Fig. 3,along line 44 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 5 is a cross section of a mechanism similar to the one shown inFig. 3, but equipped with one ratchet wheel only;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the mechanism shown in Fig. 5, along line G6 ofFig. 5;

Fig. 7 is a cross section of a mechanism similar to the one shown inFig. 5, but equipped with two friction couplings;

Fig. 8 is a cross-section of the mechanism shown in Fig. '7, along line88 of Fig. '7;

Fig. 9 is a view of another embodiment of my invention with two maingears equipped both with external teeth and two friction couplings;

Fig. 10 is a cross-section of the mechanism shown in Fig. 9, along line-40 of Fig. 9;

Figs. 11 and 12 show another embodiment of my invention with a leversystem, in plane view and side view;

Figs. 13 and 14 show a modified embodiment of the winding mechanismshown in Figs. 11 and 12, in plane and side View;

Figs. 15 and 16 show two other embodiments of my invention.

All. winding mechanisms shown in the drawings are arranged in springmotor driven cameras for winding up the coiled power spring I of thecamera spring motor. This power spring is carried by a shaft 2, i. e.,its one end is fixed to this shaft while its other end is fixed to thespring casing, not shown in the drawings. Thus, by turning shaft 2 inwinding-up direction, the spring is wound up.

Although not shown in each of the figures, in all embodiments describedbelow shaft 2 is provided with 3, blocking mechanism 3 permittingrotation of said shaft 2 relative to the camera casing i in winding -updirection only. This blocking mechanism may consist of a ratchet wheel 5secured to shaft 2 and a pawl ii pivoted to camera casing 4; however,also other clutching or coupling means may be used for limiting therotation of shaft 2 in the manner indicated above.

The winding mechanism shown in Fig. 1 comprises a driving gear 7 fixedto shaft 2, a winding gear 8 fixed to a shaft rotating in a bearing incamera casing t, not shown in the drawing; winding means, e. g., awinding handle 9, are arranged for turning winding gear 8 in bothdirections; furthermore, two separate gear trains consisting of theintermediate gears H], II, and i2, 13, M, respectively, are arrangedbetween the main gears, i. e., the winding gear 0 and the driving geari; the end gears l0, l2 and II, I4 of these gear trains are in constantmesh with gears 1 and 8, respectively. In order to attain the objects ofmy invention I propose that one of these gear trains consist of an evennumber of intermediate gears, i. e., the two gears I0 and l I, while theother has to consist of an odd number of intermediate gears, i. e., thethree gears l2, l3 and 14; in each of these gear trains I propose toinclude clutching means, enabling turning of the gears ll and I4,meshing with the driving gear 1 in winding-up direction only.

In the preferred embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. l, at leasttwo gears of each gear train are arranged coaxially and connected byratchet pawl mechanisms l5 and it only; thus, gears H] and i3 are ableto turn the corresponding ccaxially arranged gears H and M in onedirection only, i. e., the gears H and M meshing with the driving gear lare turned in winding-up direction only.

It is evident that by turning the winding handle 9, i. e., winding gear8, in either direction, driving gear 7 is always turned in the directionindicated by arrow it; thus, the power spring I connected with andcarried by shaft 2 is wound up by turning of the winding handle Q ineither direction.

A detailed description of the mode of operation of this windingmechanism seems to be superfluous: everybody skilled in this art iswithout difliculty able to ascertain that it works in the way indicatedabove.

The winding mechanism shown in Fig. 2, is a modified embodiment of thewinding-up mechanism shown in Fig. l. The sole difference is that one ofthe gear trains consists of one intermediate gear it and the other oftwo intermediate gears IQ and 2B. The function of these intermediategears and the mode of operation of this winding mechanism is the same,as explained in connection with Fig. 1.

In Figs. 3 to 8 winding mechanisms with identical characteristicfeatures are shown: although they differ in details of theirconstruction, each of them comprises two main toothed gears arrangedfreely rotatable on the spring shaft 2, clutching means enabling turningof said shaft by each of said main gears in winding-up direction only, agear train with an odd number of intermediate gears between said maingears, and a winding member secured to one of these main gears, saidwinding mechanism enabling winding-up of said power spring by turning ofthe Winding member in either direction.

As mentioned above, each of the various embodiments shown in thesefigures is constructed differently:

The winding mechanism shown in Figs. 3 and 4 comprises one main gear Elprovided with internal teeth 22, and another main gear 23 provided withexternal teeth 24, both arranged freely rotatable on spring shaft 2. Anintermediate gear 25 is freely rotatable pivoted to camera casing 4 andin mesh with both said gears El and 23. Ratchet wheels 26 and 2! aresecured to shaft 2 and cooperate with pawls 28 and 29 pivoted to gears23 and 2!, respectively. A winding handle 3b is hinged to winding gear25.

The winding mechanism shown in Figs. 5 and 6 is substantially the samewith the sole difference that only one single ratchet wheel Si isarranged instead of the two ratchet wheels 2% and 2?, and that bothpawls 2t and 29 engage this single ratchet wheel 3! instead of meshingeach separately one of the ratchet wheels 26 and 21.

The mechanism shown in Figs. 7 and 8 is also similar to the mechanismshown in the above figures. In this embodiment, however, I provide asclutching means two friction couplings 32 and 33 between shaft 2 andgears 2i and 23, respectively, instead of the ratchet mechanismsdescribed above. These friction couplings are arranged in such a mannerthat shaft 2 is turned only if the respective gear 2! or 23 is turned inwinding-up direction. As friction couplings working in the requiredmanner, various wellknown clutching means may be used: thus, forinstance, I have indicated in the drawing a friction coupling consistingof a conical cut-out in the respective gear body adjacent to the shaftand a cylindrical freely rotatable coupling member therein. Thiscoupling device is adapted to couple the shaft to the gear duringrotation in one direction only.

The mode of operation of the three embodiments shown in Figs. 3 to 8 isalso easy to understand by anybody skilled in this art; therefore, nodetailed description thereof seems necessary.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Figs. 9 and 10 I provide twomain toothed gears E i and 35 with external teeth arranged freelyrotatable on spring shaft 2; I furthermore provide clutching means, e.g., friction couplings 35 and 31 of the type described above, enablingturning of shaft 2 by each of the gears 33 and 35 in winding-updirection only; I also arrange a gear train with an odd number ofintermediate gears, e. g., three gears 38, and '55 between gears 3' 1and As shown in Fig. 10, the winding handle ii is arranged freelyrotatable on shaft 2 and secured by means of pins or screws 42 to gearZil; thus, handle 4! can be turned independently of shaft 2 and isadapted to turn gear 34 in either direction. A control of the mode of operation of this winding mechanism will show that it works also in thedesired way, i. e., by turning of handle -H in either direction shaft 2is always turned the direction indicated by arrow ll-i.

I want to note that I may provide friction couplings between one of thegears 39 or ill and shaft M carrying these gears instead of providing thfriction coupling 36 between gear 35 and shaft I also may arrange thesegears 39 and 4:) on separate shafts and connect them by a ratchetmechanism only, as described in connection with Figs. 1 and 2. I may,however, also omit both friction couplings 36 and El and substituteratchet mechanisms, as shown in Figs. 3 to 8.

Still another embodiment of my invention is shown in Figs. 11 and 12.This winding mechanism comprises a main winding gear 152 secured to thefreely rotatable shaft bi, a winding handle Mi secured to said windinggear, two gear trains, one of them consisting of an even number ofgears, i. e., the two gears 47 and 48 and the other of an odd number ofgears, i. e., the single gear Q9. One end gear of each gear train, i.e., gears 41 and 49 are meshing constantly with winding gear ib. Thesegear trains are secured to a lever system carried freely rotatable byshaft 5i, carrying the main winding gear 35, too.

The mode of operation of this winding mechanism is the following:

By turning the winding handle t6 the winding wheel 55 is turned. Whenturning the winding wheel in clockwise direction, lever 50 is turned byaction of the gears 'll and 48 in counter-clockwise direction and gear48 comes thereby in mesh with the driving gear 52 secured to shaft 2, asdescribed above. Thus, by turning handle it in clockwise direction, gear52 and thereby shaft 2 re turned in clockwise direction too. When handleand thereby gear 45 are turned in counter-clockwise direction, the leversystem 50 is turned in clockwise direction and thereby gear 49 comes inmesh with gear 52 and turns this gear in clockwise direction. Thus it isevident that by turning handle 46 in either direction gear 52 andthereby shaft 2 are always turned in clockwise direction.

The embodiment shown in Figs. 13 and 14 is very similar to the one abovedescribed. The sole difference is that the lever system 53 is carried bya separate shaft 54 and the main winding gear 55 to which handle 56 issecured is carried excentrically on the 1ever system 53. This windingmechanism works in the same way as the one described above.

The winding mechanism shown in Fig. 15 comprises a ratchet wheel 51secured to shaft 2, two ratchet pawls 58 and 59 adapted to turn theratchet wheel 51 in the same direction, and a member 60 to which pawls5B and 59 are pivoted. This member 60 is arranged turnably about an axisparallel to spring shaft 2; furthermore, springs Bi and 62 are arranged,pressing pawls 58 and 59 against the teeth of ratchet wheel 51.

The winding handle 63 is secured to member 60.

Pins 64 secured to the camera casing cooperate with projection 65 onmember 60 in order to limit the angle of turning of this pawl-carryingmember.

Fig. 16 shows a similar embodiment: however,

two ratchet wheels 66 and 61 are provided instead of one ratchet wheel.Ratchet wheel 66 and gear 68 are carried by spring shaft 2, whileratchet wheel 61 and gear 69, meshing gear 68, are carried by a parallelshaft 10. The two pawls H and 12 are pivoted to the double lever 13 andpressed by springs 14 against the teeth of the ratchet wheels 56 and 61;they are working in different directions and turn thereby the ratchetwheels 65 and 68 in opposite directions. Lever 13 is arranged freelyrotatable on shaft 15 and carries the winding handle 16.

The mode of operation of the embodiments shown in Figs, 15 and 16 is thesame as described above in connection with the other embodiments of myinvention.

I want to note that my invention is in no way limited to the specificembodiments shown: thus, when using gear trains I may change the numberof thegears of each gear train within the limits of my invention, i. e.,when an odd number of gears is required for a gear train I may provideone, three, five, seven, nine, or more, but always an odd number, ofgears. In the same way, when the gear train has to be formed of an evennumber of gears, I may use two, four, six, eight, or more, but always aneven number, of gears.

I may also use instead of the ratchet mechanisms and the frictioncouplings described above the most different coupling devices if theyare only working in the same way as these mechanisms.

It will be understood that each of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application in other types ofwinding mechanisms differing from the types described above.

While I have illustrated and described the invention as embodied inwinding mechanisms, I do not intend to be limited to the details shown,since various modifications and structural changes may be made Withoutdeparting in any way from the spirit of my invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofmy invention that others can by applying current knowledge readily adaptit for various applications without omitting features that, from thestandpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essential characteristics ofthe generic or specific aspects of this invention, and therefore suchadaptations should and are intended to be comprehended within themeaning and range of equivalency of the following claims.

What I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

l. A mechanism for rotating a shaft, comprising a ratchet wheel fixed tosaid shaft, two ratchet pawls adapted to turn said ratchet wheel in thesame direction, a member to which said pawls are turnably pivoted, saidmember arranged turnably about an axis parallel to said shaft, springspressing said pawls against the teeth of said ratchet wheel, and awinding member secured to the member carrying said pawls.

2. In a mechanism, according to claim 1, means limiting the turning ofsaid pawl-carrying member.

3. A mechanism for rotating a shaft comprising a first ratchet wheelfixed to said spring shaft, a first gear fixed to saidspring shaft, asecond gear in mesh with said first gear, a second shaft carrying saidsecond gear, av second ratchet wheel fixed to said second shaft, tworatchet pawls each engaging one of said ratchet wheels in such a manneras to turn them in opposite directions, a member to which said pawls areturnably pivoted, said member arranged tumably about an axis parallel tosaid spring shafts, springs pressing said pawls against the teeth ofsaid ratchet wheel, and a winding member secured to the member carryingsaid pawls.

4. A mechanism for rotating a shaft, comprising at least one ratchetwheel cooperating with said shaft, two ratchet pawls adapted to turnsaid ratchet wheel or wheels, a member to which said pawls are turnablypivoted, said member arranged turnably about an axis parallel to saidshaft, and winding means secured to the member carrying said pawls.

JACQUES BOLSEY.

